Although construction of a natural gas pipeline under the Mississippi River would have been cheaper, this option would have created great difficulty in handling any leaks and maintenance, so it was decided to construct a bridge to carry the gas pipeline. The bridge was the first pipeline suspension bridge to cross the Mississippi River. It was constructed for the Texas–Illinois Natural Gas Pipeline company for an estimated $3,800,000 in 1953 (equivalent to $34.6 million in 2023[2]). It was the final piece in the construction of a natural gas pipeline transporting gas from Corpus Christi, Texas to Chicago, Illinois, and Detroit, Michigan, which carries 500 million cubic feet (14×10^6 m3) of gas a day at a pressure of 850 pounds per square inch (5,900 kPa). Work began in September, 1953. The bridge features two 266-foot-tall (81 m) steel framework towers, one on each side of the river. Vertical steel suspender cables connect the twin 30-inch (76 cm) pipelines to the main suspension cables, at a height of 115 feet (35 m) above the river. During construction the 80-foot-long (24 m) pipes were stretched out across the river where welders connected them together. Each pipe weighs 5 tons and it took 72 pipes to span the river, adding to around 360 tons of dead weight. The abutments to support this weight go to the bedrock, 50 feet (15 m) deep on the Illinois side and 154 feet (47 m) on the Missouri side. The site at Grand Tower/Wittenberg was chosen because the river is narrow and deep there, and the limestone bedrock could be easily reached.[3][4]
^"Grand Tower Pipeline". Bridgehunter.com. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
^Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
^Brinkman, Grove (June 16, 1955). "Pipeline in the Sky moves more gas". Kentucky New Era.
^"Texas–Illinois Natural Gas Pipeline Bridge". Retrieved January 10, 2016.
grand, tower, pipeline, bridge, suspension, bridge, carrying, natural, pipeline, across, mississippi, river, between, wittenberg, missouri, grand, tower, illinois, view, bridge, from, southcoordinates37, 64194, 51750, 64194, 51750carriesnatural, gascrossesmiss. The Grand Tower Pipeline Bridge is a suspension bridge carrying a natural gas pipeline across the Mississippi River between Wittenberg Missouri and Grand Tower Illinois 1 Grand Tower Pipeline BridgeView of the bridge from the southCoordinates37 38 31 N 89 31 03 W 37 64194 N 89 51750 W 37 64194 89 51750CarriesNatural gasCrossesMississippi RiverLocaleGrand Tower IllinoisMaintained byNatural Gas Pipeline Company of AmericaCharacteristicsDesignSuspension bridgeLongest span2 161 5 feet 659 m HistoryOpened1955Location Contents 1 Construction 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksConstruction editAlthough construction of a natural gas pipeline under the Mississippi River would have been cheaper this option would have created great difficulty in handling any leaks and maintenance so it was decided to construct a bridge to carry the gas pipeline The bridge was the first pipeline suspension bridge to cross the Mississippi River It was constructed for the Texas Illinois Natural Gas Pipeline company for an estimated 3 800 000 in 1953 equivalent to 34 6 million in 2023 2 It was the final piece in the construction of a natural gas pipeline transporting gas from Corpus Christi Texas to Chicago Illinois and Detroit Michigan which carries 500 million cubic feet 14 10 6 m3 of gas a day at a pressure of 850 pounds per square inch 5 900 kPa Work began in September 1953 The bridge features two 266 foot tall 81 m steel framework towers one on each side of the river Vertical steel suspender cables connect the twin 30 inch 76 cm pipelines to the main suspension cables at a height of 115 feet 35 m above the river During construction the 80 foot long 24 m pipes were stretched out across the river where welders connected them together Each pipe weighs 5 tons and it took 72 pipes to span the river adding to around 360 tons of dead weight The abutments to support this weight go to the bedrock 50 feet 15 m deep on the Illinois side and 154 feet 47 m on the Missouri side The site at Grand Tower Wittenberg was chosen because the river is narrow and deep there and the limestone bedrock could be easily reached 3 4 See also editList of crossings of the Upper Mississippi RiverReferences edit Grand Tower Pipeline Bridgehunter com Retrieved January 10 2016 Johnston Louis Williamson Samuel H 2023 What Was the U S GDP Then MeasuringWorth Retrieved November 30 2023 United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series Brinkman Grove June 16 1955 Pipeline in the Sky moves more gas Kentucky New Era Texas Illinois Natural Gas Pipeline Bridge Retrieved January 10 2016 External links editBridgemeister Midwest Places Bridgehunter Mississippi River Pipeline Bridge at Structurae nbsp This article about a bridge in Illinois is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This article about a bridge in Missouri is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Grand Tower Pipeline Bridge amp oldid 1195605014, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
